Transnet Freight Rail (TFR) and Caminhos De Ferros De Mocambique (CFM) have signed a historic agreement to implement a borderless train service for export commodities transported between South Africa and Mozambique.
TFR announced the historic development with CFM, the Mozambique state-owned railway operator, after executives signed an in-principle agreement on Saturday. The agreement will enable the uninterrupted passage of all freight trains between the two countries starting from April 1.
The rail utility said the agreement would significantly reduce transit times to fuel an increase in freight volume throughput of all commodities railed to Maputo.
“This run-through operating model will effectively offer all freight customers on rail a more efficient and economical logistical solution. The implementation of this landmark agreement follows a successful 90-day run-through between TFR and CFM. Through this pilot phase, the two rail operator companies clearly demonstrated that the run-through model was a more efficient operating proposition, with great potential to make rail a more competitive option on this channel,” TFR said.
It added that the agreement demonstrated the implementation of the parastatal’s road-to-rail strategy.
“This channel, which forms part of TFR’s North-East Corridor, is a key export channel for export commodities such as magnetite, chrome, ferrochrome, rock phosphate and coal.
It effectively means all freight trains between Mpumalanga and Maputo will stop for crew changeover only, including at the Lebombo border, (providing) a seamless or borderless train service,” TFR said.
